My imagination always runs wild whenever you make one. On my commute, I made up a cosmology and whatnot to explain what I had in mind for my civ. I want to point out that my race is purely human, but for a small percentage. Like <1%
Telmar
Species: Human
Physique: When fit, sinuously built with a feline quality to their movement. Prone to lethargy when unfit.
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Southern Telmar Clans
Society: Very individualistic. Social ties are usually limited familial relations, but even those are not etched in stone. Social divisions tend to occur along clan and family lines as well as around business associations, but individual deviation is common.
Despite isolationist tendencies, Telmar are known to incorporate enclaves in foreign cultures in order to interact with them. Because of their individualism, there is neither a strong incentive to assimilate or to uphold their own traditions.
Ethics: The greatest achievement in Telmar culture is self-reliance and a honestly cruel, but realistic view of ones own worth. Spartan grandeur is respected, but vanity, opulence and most importantly, self-importance are thought of as foolish. Those who are not self-reliant are respected if they remain humble. Domination by sheer power is considered highly offensive, though by a quirk, violence upon ones inferiors is not particularly offensive. Domination by force of will or perceived merit acceptable.
Religion: Most Telmar are only nominally religious and worship clan totems. However, magical aptitude is considered a mark of worthiness for religious fear.
Economy: Isolation breeds generalism. Division of labor is common, but principalities tend to have balanced economies. However, certain principalities do capitalize on local advantages.
Place Names: The Sundermarch, High Hill, Broods Burrow.
City Names: Jalderhall, Greymark, Gaggleford
Individual Names: Halmond, Jork, Jilda, Orri, Dellin
[Whatever else you want to say]
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The Removed Princes
Government: Local and Provencal governments are made of prominent clan counsels while military and diplomatic authority is invested in a royal family headed by a prince that royal clan selects. Different royal clans rule different principalities. The idea of a central monarch is present, but the ability to crush one's enemies is not a culturally acceptable means to achieve such a position, so it remains vacant. Hegemons are a matter of agreement between the principalities.
Magick: Astral and Thaumaturgy.
Magickal Tradition: Magic is evoked via meditative states, which may or may not be trance-like.or by sufficiently disciplined force of will. Telmar are of unremarkable aptitude, but Voidkin are almost natural masters. However, due to Voidkin affinity, mana decay is very high.(read how you will Horse))
Military Tradition: Warriors are typically volunteers from a variety of social levels. They tend to focus on self-dicipline more than martial prowess, and thus tend to be ferocious, tenacious, agile and calculating warriors, but lack technical ability.
Telmar have an affinity for the ethereal creatures of the voidplan and are known to commune with these enigmatic void entities. The Prime Plane is so foreign to the void entities within that they are unable to manifest matter and almost incapable of any act, despite the face that they are the most magical entity in known existence. As they are bodiless, so too are void entities genderless. Void Entites are truly immortal, being both eternal in age and indestructible. Their essence can be dispersed, but will always remanifest.
Interbreeding has been known to occur with peculiar results, but instances are extremely rare. The void plane is known to be a place where only magic and anti-magic exist. Without matter or energy to fight over, nor bodies that need either, void entities found the individuality of the Telmar to be agreeably to their own nature. The union of the bodyless void entities and humans is a bizarre enigma. Offspring of such unions are known as "once removed" or just "the Lost." Such creatures are stuck in a confusing meld of both the Prime Plane and the Void Plane. Weak in both realms, they can barely manifest a ethereal human form in the Prime Plane and often seem confused and befuddled. Having no physical bodies, the Lost cannot bear children, though they can sire them. Once Removed are ageless, but can be killed.
The trend is broken when considering the Twiced Removed. These are the children The Lost and Telmar, or the children of similarly removed Voidkin. The Twiced Removed are fully manifested in the Prime plane while having a perceptual awareness of the Void Plane. Despite being less magically ept than either the Void Entites or the Once Removed, their full manifestation allows them to fully express their abilities in the Prime Plane and faze into the Void Plane at will. Royal Clans of Telmar are typically made up of a small group of Twice Removed. Twice Removed are longlived, usually retaining youth for several centuries. Breeding is kept within the Twice Removed, making foreign political marriages exceptional. Due to the ineptness of Once removed to manifest matter, as well as by the simple nature of their being, Twice removed often have bizzare superficial physical features. Tranluscent skin and eyes, wild hair and eye pigmentation, and strangly elongated or sharp features are not unheard of. Typically, these expressions of their ancestry are limited.
Thrice Removed are only superficially different from Telmar, though with a strong talent for magic. Forth, fifth, and so on removed are often refered to as Thrice Removed. Thrice removed live only slightly longer than normal Telmar.
Telmar
Species: Human
Physique: When fit, sinuously built with a feline quality to their movement. Prone to lethargy when unfit.
+++
Southern Telmar Clans
Society: Very individualistic. Social ties are usually limited familial relations, but even those are not etched in stone. Social divisions tend to occur along clan and family lines as well as around business associations, but individual deviation is common.
Despite isolationist tendencies, Telmar are known to incorporate enclaves in foreign cultures in order to interact with them. Because of their individualism, there is neither a strong incentive to assimilate or to uphold their own traditions.
Ethics: The greatest achievement in Telmar culture is self-reliance and a honestly cruel, but realistic view of ones own worth. Spartan grandeur is respected, but vanity, opulence and most importantly, self-importance are thought of as foolish. Those who are not self-reliant are respected if they remain humble. Domination by sheer power is considered highly offensive, though by a quirk, violence upon ones inferiors is not particularly offensive. Domination by force of will or perceived merit acceptable.
Religion: Most Telmar are only nominally religious and worship clan totems. However, magical aptitude is considered a mark of worthiness for religious fear.
Economy: Isolation breeds generalism. Division of labor is common, but principalities tend to have balanced economies. However, certain principalities do capitalize on local advantages.
Place Names: The Sundermarch, High Hill, Broods Burrow.
City Names: Jalderhall, Greymark, Gaggleford
Individual Names: Halmond, Jork, Jilda, Orri, Dellin
[Whatever else you want to say]
+++
The Removed Princes
Government: Local and Provencal governments are made of prominent clan counsels while military and diplomatic authority is invested in a royal family headed by a prince that royal clan selects. Different royal clans rule different principalities. The idea of a central monarch is present, but the ability to crush one's enemies is not a culturally acceptable means to achieve such a position, so it remains vacant. Hegemons are a matter of agreement between the principalities.
Magick: Astral and Thaumaturgy.
Magickal Tradition: Magic is evoked via meditative states, which may or may not be trance-like.or by sufficiently disciplined force of will. Telmar are of unremarkable aptitude, but Voidkin are almost natural masters. However, due to Voidkin affinity, mana decay is very high.(read how you will Horse))
Military Tradition: Warriors are typically volunteers from a variety of social levels. They tend to focus on self-dicipline more than martial prowess, and thus tend to be ferocious, tenacious, agile and calculating warriors, but lack technical ability.
Telmar have an affinity for the ethereal creatures of the voidplan and are known to commune with these enigmatic void entities. The Prime Plane is so foreign to the void entities within that they are unable to manifest matter and almost incapable of any act, despite the face that they are the most magical entity in known existence. As they are bodiless, so too are void entities genderless. Void Entites are truly immortal, being both eternal in age and indestructible. Their essence can be dispersed, but will always remanifest.
Interbreeding has been known to occur with peculiar results, but instances are extremely rare. The void plane is known to be a place where only magic and anti-magic exist. Without matter or energy to fight over, nor bodies that need either, void entities found the individuality of the Telmar to be agreeably to their own nature. The union of the bodyless void entities and humans is a bizarre enigma. Offspring of such unions are known as "once removed" or just "the Lost." Such creatures are stuck in a confusing meld of both the Prime Plane and the Void Plane. Weak in both realms, they can barely manifest a ethereal human form in the Prime Plane and often seem confused and befuddled. Having no physical bodies, the Lost cannot bear children, though they can sire them. Once Removed are ageless, but can be killed.
The trend is broken when considering the Twiced Removed. These are the children The Lost and Telmar, or the children of similarly removed Voidkin. The Twiced Removed are fully manifested in the Prime plane while having a perceptual awareness of the Void Plane. Despite being less magically ept than either the Void Entites or the Once Removed, their full manifestation allows them to fully express their abilities in the Prime Plane and faze into the Void Plane at will. Royal Clans of Telmar are typically made up of a small group of Twice Removed. Twice Removed are longlived, usually retaining youth for several centuries. Breeding is kept within the Twice Removed, making foreign political marriages exceptional. Due to the ineptness of Once removed to manifest matter, as well as by the simple nature of their being, Twice removed often have bizzare superficial physical features. Tranluscent skin and eyes, wild hair and eye pigmentation, and strangly elongated or sharp features are not unheard of. Typically, these expressions of their ancestry are limited.
Thrice Removed are only superficially different from Telmar, though with a strong talent for magic. Forth, fifth, and so on removed are often refered to as Thrice Removed. Thrice removed live only slightly longer than normal Telmar.
